


Here in My Arms

by lildemonlili



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, OT9 - Freeform, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 10:15:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15861609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lildemonlili/pseuds/lildemonlili
Summary: The lights are on and the girls have left the stage, but the cheers are ringing in their ears and their hearts. And Jihyo just wants to go back out. To do it all over again. See the smiles and hear the songs.





	Here in My Arms

**Author's Note:**

> 700 twitter followers fic, Sahyo as the masses decided!  
> On Niigoki's request, Sana taking care of Jihyo after twiceland.

The cheers of the crowd on the other side of the wall are still ringing in their ears, and their aching bodies start taking presence over the adrenaline that’s been rushing through their blood for hours.

But it’s finally over.

It’s another chapter of their story, closed, as they turned on the lights in the concert hall. Slowly the cheers die out and the nine girls look around at each other. The same feeling is mirrored in every pair of eyes, and their hearts beat as one.

And then they scatter.

Mina immediately finds a bench in the hallway, and flops down on it, working her shoes off, wincing as she moves her feet in circles and bends and stretches her knees. Dahyun follows her, an exhausted sigh leaving her as she bends down to rub her ankles. Jeongyeon looks for a moment as if she’s about to join them, but then a forehead leans against her shoulder and a whimper leaves plump lips. Tzuyu looks slightly lost but lets Chaeyoung guide her to the changing room, the petite girl always having more energy than the rest at the end of this concert.

“You good, Momoring?” Sana nudges her best friend, the older girl swaying where she stands. She always goes so fast on stage, but drops to the ground the second they’re off the stage. Somehow, the similarities between her and Dahyun are striking in that manner. Both giving too much of themselves and paying the price afterwards. But as soon as Mina calls for her, Momo gives a gentle smile and lets Sana push her subtly towards her girlfriends. And somehow Mina’s arms embrace both the tired girls, and honestly, it wouldn’t surprise Sana if they don’t move an inch until they have to leave the venue.

“I want to go back out.” Jihyo whispers, her voice only a broken whisper, and her fingers digging into her arms, shoulders tense. It’s only meant for Sana. But at the look on Jeongyeon’s face, Sana knows that she heard it too. As Nayeon lets out another whimper and Jihyo’s arm presses softly against Sana, Jeongyeon and Sana share a look. And they nod.

So while Jeongyeon shushes the oldest member, turning to embrace the girl fully, drying her wet cheeks. Softly guides her to somewhere more private, without the risk of crew members or make-up artists walking in on them. It’s a thing of theirs. Peace and tired tears and words meant only for the two of them.

And suddenly it’s only five of them left - the three semi-hibernating girls on the bench, limbs tangled and quiet breath, and Jihyo by Sana’s side.

“I could maybe go out and say hi. You know outside?” Jihyo suggests, no energy left in her voice.

But Sana merely wraps an arm around her hunched shoulders and takes off the cat ears Jihyo has been wearing for the encore.

“You’ve done more than enough, Jihyo-yah.” Sana whispers.

“I don’t want it to be over.” Jihyo insists, her voice breaking.

“I know. I know you don’t. It’s okay, just come with me.” Sana rubs her shoulder and leads Jihyo off to the changing room, knowing Tzuyu and Chaeyoung are probably there too, but it doesn’t matter. They’re not a secret, and more than anything, Jihyo just needs to sit down, to get away from the sounds of the fans they have to leave.

“Satang… Can you go with me to see them?” Jihyo asks as they reach the door to the changing room.

“Maybe later. But you can’t go out there like that.” Sana hushes and knocks on the door, just out of courtesy to their two youngest members. And Chaeyoung’s raspy voice invites them in.

“You have room for us in here?” Sana asks. 

Chaeyoung nods, Tzuyu laying on one of the two large couches, her head in Chaeyoung’s lap, talking in Mandarin, her phone in front of her. Her mom’s voice rings through the phone and a dog barks eagerly, making Tzuyu’s eyes glint and her dimple show as she smiles at the phone. Chaeyoung’s fingers play distractedly with the youngest girl’s soft hair, and her eyelids droop. 

For a moment Sana is merely staring at the tranquil scene. But then Jihyo whispers her name and leans her head on Sana’s shoulder. And Sana turns to press her lips to the crown of Jihyo’s head. Finds the other couch and sits them down on it. Plays with Jihyo’s fingers to distract her from her mind. No matter how hard she works, Jihyo always wants to do more. And it’s their duty as her members to stop her from burning out. To tell her to that her heart can hold all the love and still be allowed to relax. But it’s harder tonight, for all of them. Because it’s no secret that they all would’ve liked to just stay. Stay on stage, despite their aching muscles and overflowing hearts, to keep staring out at the crowd.

“It’s really over now.” Jihyo’s voice cracks.

“Yeah, it is.” Sana muses, her fingers tickling at the skin in the spaces between Jihyo’s to spread them apart, allowing Sana to tangle their fingers. Jihyo smiles.

“It was so hard… you know that night we finished in Korea.” Jihyo’s eyes glaze over, grasping Sana’s hand tighter. “But I could still look forwards to these ones. Meeting fans from other places in the world. To dance with all of you, and… sing with them. God, did you hear how beautifully they sang, and not even in their own language.”

Jihyo’s crying now, and Sana was prepared for it. Just wasn’t prepared for the tears trickling down her own cheeks as well.

“I heard…” Sana says, shuffling in the couch and tugging at Jihyo. The younger girl’s eyes finds Sana’s for a moment, a frown on her screwed up face, but then nods and climbs awkwardly onto Sana’s lap, fulfilling Sana’s need to have Jihyo closer. And as Jihyo’s arms rest behind Sana’s neck, Sana’s wrap around the younger girl’s waist.

“Is it wrong that I love this part as much as I hate it?” Jihyo asks into Sana’s hair.

“What part?”

“The longing? The sadness. Knowing that it’s over and knowing that I won’t get to see them for a while?” Jihyo hums, sighing at Sana’s touch as the older girl’s hands run calmly over her back and waist and arms.

“Not wrong. But I’m not sure why you love it? It’s always the worst part for me.” Sana admits into Jihyo’s neck, leaning down to hear Jihyo’s heartbeat, rapidly beating from all the emotion.

“It means I’m doing the right thing.” Jihyo sighs, and Sana can hear the smile and the tears in her voice all at once. “Means I need to keep doing this. That it was the right choice for me to keep going all those times I wanted to quit.”

It’s things like these that take Sana’s breath away. That Jihyo’s mind works in a way that allows her to see the beauty in these moments where Sana’s instinct is to forget.

“I love you, do you know that?” Sana hums, tugging Jihyo closer.

“I think maybe you mentioned it.” Jihyo chuckles. “But just so you can be sure, I love you too, Satang.”

“You’re never gonna stop calling me that, are you?”

“I could do it more theatrically if you want? Put on my red sweater and shout it to you?” Jihyo jokes, a little more energy in her voice.

“Now that’d be a confession worthy of us.” Sana chuckles and draws back enough to look up at Jihyo’s face. Her eyes are red and her cheeks stained with tears but her smile is soft, and Sana can’t help but lean up and kiss the smile, just for a second, just to hear the little wet laugh that makes Sana’s world spin.

“I want to go back. To before it began. Experience all of this again.” Jihyo sniffles as Sana dries her cheeks, corrects her lashes and combs through her hair.

“I know you do… But we have so much more planned, and it’s going to be amazing, all of it. And we get to see the Japanese fans soon. Get to show them all of our songs. And your japanese is so good by now, it’s going to be such a good tour.” Sana coos wrapping Jihyo up in her arms once more, Jihyo’s forehead against Sana’s.

“I had a good teacher…” Jihyo smiles lazily, and Sana knows she’s calming down finally. Knows that in about three minutes the post concert desolation will make way for enervation.

And just as predicted, Jihyo’s head soon falls onto Sana’s shoulder, the older girl leaning back in the couch, cradling Jihyo as she drifts off. Holds her tight and keeps her safe as she sleeps.

At some point, might’ve been five minutes, might’ve been fifteen, Sana’s eyes find Tzuyu’s, a silent question in them. And Sana nods. Watches as Tzuyu gets up from the couch and gently pulls the smaller girl along, joining Sana and Jihyo in their couch, Tzuyu’s head falling onto Sana’s shoulder, her arm around Chaeyoung.

Momo, Mina and Dahyun are next to join. All bare feet, carrying their shoes, but letting them drop to the floor as they enter the changing room, three pairs of tired eyes on the girls already in the couch. And they sit down next to Chaeyoung, Mina and Momo side by side, and Dahyun resting in their arms, head against Chaeyoung’s shoulder.

Jeongyeon and Nayeon are last, their eyes red and lips swollen, fingers twined so tightly that you’d think someone was trying to tear them apart. And they join on Sana and Jihyo’s other side.

And somehow, in that moment, eight hearts beat for a ninth, and they all watch as Jihyo’s mouth falls open and her eyes start fluttering under closed lids.

 

Their leader. 

Their guide.


End file.
